Extensible fireplace damper



Oct. 2, 1962 Filed Sept. 25, 1958 D. LAWRENCE EXTENSIBLE FIREPLACE DAMPER 5 Sheets-Sheet l u llmmm llI IIHIIIIHFIIIIIIIIIHIHIIIll lllll llllllillllll 301 4 INVENTOR.

Oct. 2, 1962 D. LAWRENCE 3,056,399

EXTENSIBLE FIREPLACE DAMPER Filed Sept. 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BYcz w I Oct. 2, 1962 D. LAWRENCE 3,056,399

EXTENSIBLE FIREPLACE DAMPER Filed Sept. 25, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. bark QM $144M A United States Patent Oflflce 3,56,399 Fatented Get. 2, 1962 3,056,399 EXTENSIBILE FIREPLACE DAMPER Donald Lawrence, 108 Highland Road, South Portland, Maine Filed dent. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 763,247 1 Claim. (61. 126-288) The present invention relates to fireplace dampers that may be extended or shortened to enable them to be fitted to any chimney throat or flue within a wide range of sizes.

In the construction of fireplaces, the usual practice is to install a damper that can be closed to block the flue or opened to permit the fireplace to be used. Such dampers must be adapted to give long service and, typically, each includes a chamber portion having a flue opening extending approximately from end-to-end thereof, a lid hinged thereto to swing between open and closed posi tions, with adjustable mechanism for so positioning it, and a marginal flange extending about the chamber portion to be supported by the bricks. As there is a Wide range of flue and throat-sizes, a dealer must stock dampers for each size even though each is heavy and bulky and eventhough the relatively small and the relatively large sizes are less commonly used.

- The general objective of the present invention is to provide a fireplace damper that can be extended or shorterred to fit accurately a wide range of chimney throat or flue sizes thus to simplify the dealers inventory problems, reduce the bulk of dampers in shipment and storage, and enable any wanted damper size, within that range, to be accurately established and variations in overall length to be made during installation if, as sometimes occurs, the actual flue dimensions depart somewhat from specifications.

This objective is attained, in accordance with the invention by providing a damper comprising two parts. Each part includes a chamber portion that is open at one end and closed at the other and has a flue opening, a sup porting flange portion commencing at one side of the open end and extending about the closed end to the open end at the other side thereof, and a lid portion hinged to one of the other portions to swing into and out of a position closing the flue opening.

The two parts are so shaped and dimensioned that they may be arranged, one with the open end of its chamber portion slidably entrant of the open end of the chamber portion of the other part and with sections of the flange portion at each side of the chamber portion slidably underlying corresponding sections of the flange portion of said other damper part. Means interconnect the two parts for sliding movement between extended and shortened positions and these are operative to securely interlock the damper parts in any position to which they have been adjusted. In order that such adjustments may be made with maximum ease, convenience, and accuracy, a section of the flange portion of one damper part that underlies the corresponding section of the flange portion of the other damper part is provided with indicia readable with reference to the edge of the overlying flange section to measure the then existing overall length of the damper.

In the accompanying drawing, there is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a damper in accordance with the invention; and

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sections, on an increased scale, taken along the indicated lines 22 and 3-3, respectively, of FIG. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, a damper comprises two parts generally indicated at 5 and 6.

The damper part 5 consists of a chamber portion 7 open at one end and closed at the other and provided with a flue opening 8 extending approximately from end-to-end thereof. The part 5 also has an attaching flange 9 which extends from one side of the open end, around the closed end, and to the open end at the other side thereof. The flange 9 is provided with a log 10 located near the closed end of the chamber portion 5 on the flue opening side thereof and this has a convex face arranged and disposed to engage a like face on the lug 11 of a lid portion 12 thus to so mount the portion 12 that it may swing from its closed position, shown in the drawings, into an open position. The flange 9, at each side of the open end of the chamber portion and close thereto, has a bore 13. The lid portion 12 has parallel ribs 14 and a hole 15 in a boss 16 while the chamber portion 5 has a depressed zone 17.

The damper part 6 has a chamber portion 18 which, like the part 5, is open at one end and closed at the other and has a flue opening 19 extending approximately from end-to-end thereof. A flange portion 20 extends from one side of the open end, about the closed end and back to the open end at the other side thereof. The flange portion 29 has a lug 21 located near the closed end of the part 6 at the flue opening side thereof and similar to the lug 10 of the damper part 5 and which engages and retains the lug 22 of the lid portion 23. The lug 22 is generally similar to the lug 11. A single hinge connection 24 joins the lid portion 23 and the chamber portion 18. The section of the flange portion 20 at each side of the chamber portion and adjacent its open end has a slot 25.

The lid portion 23 has a boss 26 recessed as at 27 and provided with a slot 28 through which and the hole 15 of the lid portion 12 extends the bolt 29 thus to establish a slidable connection between the lid portions of the two damper parts. In order to prevent that connection from constituting an air passageway, a cap 39 covers the recess 27 and is attached to the boss by a bolt 31.

The interior of the chamber portion 18 has a rib 32 provided with a guide stop 33 through which extends the shouldered operating arm 34 pivoted as at 35 to the lug 36 on the under surface of the lid portion 23. The arm 34 is adapted to be positioned by any suitable actuating mechanism.

In order that the flange portions 9 and 20 may lie in the same plane and that the chamber portions 7 and 18 may be of the same cross sectional size and shape to a maximum extent, sections of the flange 2.0, the chamber portion 18, and the lid portion 23, are offset by shoulders indicated at 20 18 and 23 respectively, thus to enable the parts 5 and 6 to be arranged and disposed with the open end of the chamber portion 7 of the damper part 5 and the corresponding end of its lid portion 12 to be slidable within the open end of the chamber portion 18 of the damper part 6 forwardly of the shoulders 18 and 23 and with the sections of the flange portion 9 slidable under the corresponding sections of the flange portion 20 forwardly of the shoulders 26 It is preferred that the flange portions 9 and 20 have complemental and interengaging marginal shoulders 9 and 20 as may best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

When the parts 5 and 6 are thus assembled, bolts 37 are attached that extend through the slots 25 and the bores 13 thus to slidably interconnect the damper parts 5 and 6. The slots 25 and the slot 28 are of the same length and in order that the overall length of the damper in either its extended, its shortened, or in any intermediate position may be accurately measured, a section of the flange portion 9 that is to underlie the proximate section of the flange portion 20 is provided with measuring a indicia 38 readable with reference to the proximate edge of the overlying section of the flange portion 20 and such indicia is usually in terms of inches.

It will thus be appreciated that dampers in accordance with the invention are well adapted to meet the many requirements. Their parts may be quickly assembled, interconnected, and adjusted to the desired length. In such adjustments, the ribs 14 and the depressed Zone 17 are of substantial importance in minimizing friction between the parts. While these and other features and advantages of the dampers are apparent, it should also be noted that the two part damper construction prevents buckling when exposed to the heat of fires.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In an adjustable fireplace throat damper the combination comprising a longitudinally adjustable body portion including a pair of telescopingly adjustable body members, each of said body members of said pair including a flanged base portion extending around three sides thereof, an angularly disposed wall portion on each of said body members extending angularly upwardly from said base portion, means defining a flue opening adjacent each of said angular wall portions and extending at substantially right angles thereto, said means defining said flue opening being integral with and forming a portion of the flanged base portion and disposed oppositely from said angular wall portion, substantially triangular side wall portions interconnecting one end of each of said angular wall portions and said flanged portions on each of said pair of body members, said side Walls being disposed on opposite ends of each of said body members to define a flue chamber between said angular Wall and said pair of side i walls when said body members are in assembled relation, lid means operatively disposed on each of said body members over said flue opening movable between selected positions for varying the amount of air passing therethrough, interconnected hinge means on said lid means and said flanged portion for operatively securing said lid to said flanged portions, means including guide means on each of said pair of body members slidably interconnecting each body member for slidably aligning said pair of body members during assembly thereof, one of said lids adapted to overlie the other of said lids when said body members and said lid portions are arranged in operative relation, fastening means adapted to lock said lid members against relative movement when said body members are in the adjusted position, a cap secured to one of said lids overlying said fastening means whereby to prevent draft therethrough when said lid is in one of said selected positions, and indicating indicia on said flanged portions for measuring the longitudinal dimension of said damper unit.

References tilted in the file or" this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 807,302 Moomaw Dec. 12, 1905 1,197,120 IHeath Sept. 5, 1916 1,308,822 Urstrom July 8, 1919 1,657,369 Chapman Jan. 24, 1928 1,734,013 Jones Oct. 29, 1929 1,946,008 White Feb. 6, 1934 2,082,298 Moran June 1, '1937 2,088,394 Wright July 27, 1937 2,096,638 Higgins Oct. 19, 1937 2,473,182 Stretz June 14, 1949 

